UK Hostage Tells of 30-Month Iraq Ordeal

Freed British hostage Peter Moore has told how he was subjected to "rough treatment" in captivity but well-treated during his final six months.

BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner said Mr Moore had told his family that from June he had even had access to a TV and a Playstation.

Our correspondent said Mr Moore and his bodyguards were separated soon after their kidnapping in Iraq in May 2007.

The Guardian has claimed Mr Moore and his four bodyguards were held in Iran.

Three of the bodyguards were killed; the fourth is also thought to be dead.

Iran has dismissed reports of its involvement as "baseless", the AFP news agency has reported.

Frank Gardner said that since June, Mr Moore had been given markedly better treatment by his captors, effectively placed under house arrest, with en suite facilities, access to satellite TV, a laptop - though not online - and a Playstation.

This was in contrast to much rougher treatment earlier on in his captivity.

Our correspondent said that Mr Moore was separated fairly early on from his bodyguards, who were treated by their captors as "military personnel" - in contrast to Mr Moore, who was treated as a civilian.

The Guardian reported that all five were taken to a camp in Iran within a day of being seized.